The Letter R and Tonks in a Box

Hello and welcome to another edition of the April A to Z Challenge!

I'll go ahead and repeat myself by saying that this month I'm creating fan art covers for some of my favorite books. Most of these covers also star cats. Today we've reached the letter R, which I've made stand for raven. As in, well, "The Raven". I've been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe's macabre stories and poems for a very long time. One of my favorite is indeed "The Raven", but today I created a cover for all of Poe's works. I have a number of books with this exact sort of title, including an antique omnibus from the 1800s that my sister got for me. But, here's my version, starring not only a raven but also Poe's beloved tortie, Cattarina.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true book cover, and I am also most certainly not Edgar Allan Poe. I'm just someone who likes books and animals and so drew this unofficial version of this cover.]

That cover is indeed created with an old doodle from many years ago. Truth be told, while I got a ton of new doodles done for the beginning of the alphabet's covers, I've now fallen behind on this month's art. What's more, I not only wanted to create these book covers for the April A to Z Challenge, but I hoped to partake in a writing challenge also going on this month. My writing has really fallen on the back burner as I've worked on my alphabetical drawings. So, in order to give my writing project some attention this month as well, most or possibly all of my remaining book covers might be made using old doodles that I've created over the past few months or years. There will indeed still be a book cover for every remaining day of April, but I'm not sure how many, if any at all, will include the brand new doodles I had planned. I'm grateful that I do have hundreds of doodles from over the years that I can use if needed.

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Now, you better believe we have adorable Tonks for you all to see today. This calico has really been into boxes lately. Well, she's always into boxes, but these days she loves taking her naps in them.

At least one box in the house now has a blanket in it for Tonks. I should get a photo of her snoozing in that one, as it's currently her favorite.

Happy Tuesday to all!

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Tip of the Day

In case you forgot, April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. And, in case you forgot, we're doing a short series of tips on this topic. Today, we have a simple tip on how you can help prevent cruelty and neglect of animals. And that is simply to adopt your furbabies from shelters or rescues. Though there are indeed reputable and responsible breeders out there, there are also, unfortunately, a vast number of backyard breeders and puppy and kitty mills where animals are inhumanely treated as nothing but tools for the sake of human profit. By purchasing from such breeders or from pet shops, you are supporting the cruel treatment of the animals used by these breeders. So, please always consider adopting from shelters and rescues.

Also, as we're certain you already know, please also have your kitties and pups spayed or neutered. In addition, if you are able to do, consider assisting with trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs, which help reduce overpopulation both in the wild and in the shelter system. Strays, ferals, and even intact house pets can contribute to a large number of kittens and puppies being born in the wild. Sadly, these outdoor animals can make accessible and easy targets for cruel treatment from humans who wish them harm. We have all heard the terrible stories of animal cruelty inflicted on innocent creatures living outdoors. So, for more reasons than one, please also spay and neuter your pets, and consider assisting in TNR programs.